The Raven Princess
by RukiaRae
Summary: Based off of The Swan Princess...Raven and Richard hate each other, but when Raven is abducted, will Richard become her knight in shining armor? AU Rated T for swear words and possible violent scenes


**First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in my first poll! I really appreciate your participation...For those of you who voted for other films, don't worry, I'll probably do those too just later...**

**Okay, so this was the poll winner for my next big rob/rae movie fic! As you all requested, here is my version of _The Swan Princess_! Basically I re-watched the movie and have redone it for a modern setting. Some parts of the plot will also be twisted, but it parallels the movie a lot. Hope you like it! **

**Also, if you like bb/rae or want to read a version that more closely mirrors the film, I suggest you check out BG-13's version called "_The Raven Princess:Titans Style." _**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Teen Titans or The Swan Princess, though I'd like to_..._**

**And now, here it is! Chapter 1...**

**_The Reunion_**

Ever since she could remember, she had been forced to see Richard each summer. Her mother had been a good friend with his adoptive father for some time and they liked the idea of their kids being best friends too.

But Rachel hated him, he was so conceited. And he hated her too, she was fairly sure of that. Each year they would alternate whose house the visit was at. And it was common knowledge that the person who was visiting was at a disadvantage. When she visited his house, not only did she have to be careful around him, but with his friends as well. He would have his friends help prank her, ignore her, tease her, and just make the visit hell. Not that she was any different when he stayed at her house.

She gathered her best friends and always sought revenge for the previous summer. The worst part about the set-up, though, was that he got to see her through all of her awkward phases. He saw her during her fairy tale phase when she was dying to be a pretty princess. That was one of the worst, she would parade around her house in fancy little dresses with plastic jewelry pretending to be royalty. She was sure that she burned most of those pictures and just _prayed _that he didn't have any. Or else she was done for. She also started her gymnastics lessons at this time and carried on with it until her senior year in high school. Some vestiges of her training remained, she was fairly sure that she could still do backflips and maybe a few decent combinations.

There was also her tomboy phase when she wanted to do what the other guys did. She trained in martial arts and archery. She remembered that summer she tried to go shooting with Richard and Roy (because they had invited her nicely and she thought they'd finally turned a page), but they took her into the forest preserve near his house and lead her astray from the trail. They then ditched her and she was lost for hours, left to fend for herself to find her way home. Which she did, but boy was she _pissed. _She remembered the next day, when Richard and Roy were talking in their "boys only" fort, she'd knocked it over, breaking his arm and Roy's leg. She only suffered from minor scratches from a stray piece of wood.

There had also been her early teenage phase, when she admitted (rather reluctantly) that she tried her best to fit in. She'd tried wearing the latest fashions and, with the help of her friend Kori, started wearing make up and making a genuine effort to look her best. Though, it was then that Richard's friends stopped trying to trick her and, instead, tried asking her out. Sadly, the same was true of her friends (except Jessica, which Rachel thought she was a Godsend). The one good thing about this time was the civility. They couldn't really blatantly trick or attack the other person, they had to be tactful. So they would make bets over different games, like poker, chess, and other card games (which Rachel almost always won).

Then again, he had some funny phases too. He had his pirates and Robin Hood phase (which she hoped there were still pictures of that floating around- a four year old Richard in an eye patch or with a pointy green hat would be _priceless)_. Some of his friends even still called him Robin because that was his favorite game to play for _years. _It was like cops and robbers, but with Robin Hood as the cop and instead of a gun he had a set of bows and arrows (which were obviously fake ones). Robin Hood would have to dispose of all the criminals in a short time.

He had also had his superhero/comic phase. He loved Batman the best since he was a normal human and he actually trained in martial arts to be like him. They used to spar against each other. Rachel remembered the time she tripped him on the stairs and then beat him up, _ah memories. _Of course, he'd won some matches too, especially the older they got (because he was stronger and got better at strategizing).

Naturally, as he grew up, his interests changed. He soon became a player, dating several girls. Rachel stopped keeping track after a while. And when he wasn't busy with a girl, he and Roy would hang out and play videogames. And she was pretty sure that he partied often, despite being underage (though he only had about a year left until he was 21…oh yea, he was 1 and a half years older than her, so not fair).

Basically, despite the changes they went through, there was one constant. They had managed to keep the grudge going. She was now 18 and when she thought of Richard, she was _still _repulsed. He was _so _arrogant. She sighed, tomorrow her mother had quilted her into going to visit one last time before college started since it had been 3 years already since she'd last seen him. The only reason she had even considered going was she decided she'd go hunting for embarrassing childhood photos and burn them. Well, hers, not his. She'd put his on facebook, or something; Her last bit of revenge before college.

She was going to Dartmouth in the fall, and she was shocked when she found out that he was already going there. She was comforted by the fact that she could (hopefully) avoid him among the large student body. After this summer, she promised herself, she would never go visit his house over the summer again. She was an adult and she could make her own choices, and she'd choose never to see the asshole again.

She sighed and decided to begin packing. No point in being angry about it now. She considered packing some of her prettier clothes so that his friends would leave her alone, though she preferred being tricked to being hit on. So she decided to just pack her usual goth attire. When she'd packed clothes sufficient enough to last the weeks (and then some, she didn't know what he had planned), she logged on to AIM chat.

She was instantly messaged by Jinx14 (her friend Jessica). Jessica had recently dyed her hair a bright, cotton candy pink. She, like Rachel, was in the midst of a punk/ goth phase. They had been best friends since Rachel could remember, and she was the one friend who continued to help Rachel's revenge assault on Richard.

RavyntheTitan has logged on (her screen name was after her brief Greek Mythology phase before her goth one. She decided to combine Poe and Greek myth to create her screen name, though she now wished that she had thought of something cooler)

Jinx14: Sup?

RavyntheTitan: Ugh, shoot me now….plz

Jinx14: Last summer tho, rght?

RavyntheTitan: Yea…still, its gonna b hell

Jinx14: Srry its on his turf

RavyntheTitan: Yea me 2…

Jinx14: U cld try bein nice n then trick him…

RavyntheTitan: Not a bad idea, Jess…if only I cld b nice to him…

Jinx14: lol…well good luck

RavyntheTitan: Thx…ima need it

Jinx14: lolz

RavyntheTitan: Hey, ima head off to bed, ima need all the zzz I can get

Jinx14: kk, ttyl…just come back in 1 pce

RavyntheTitan: haha i'll do my best…night

RavyntheTitan has logged out

Rachel glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It read 11:30, which was early (by her standards). Still, she decided to crash for the night because she was supposed to have an early start the next day. Richard's house wasn't far, only about a two and a half hour drive, but her mother always liked to get there at "a reasonable time." She reasoned if they got there late in the day that the day was wasted. However, as far as Rachel was concerned, wasting a day of visiting was a blessing.

Still, she figured her mother would want her up at 6:30 and ready by 7:30. That was usually their departure time every other summer. Rachel fell on her bed and slept dreamlessly.

* * *

"Master Richard, your father wished you to clean your room _before _the guests arrived," commented Alfred, upon seeing the disastrous state of Richard's room. There were clothes everywhere along with empty pizza boxes, cans of sprite, dirty plates, etc. Richard heaved a sigh.

"How long until they get here?" he groggily asked, it was, after all, 6:45.

"Only about 2 hours, you better get to work."

Richard grunted and began by getting several trash bags from the kitchen and throwing away the old food and cans. When he finally had the room in a decent state, which was around 8, Richard scrambled to get ready. He'd be in a shitload of trouble if he wasn't ready when they arrived. During his morning routine, he quickly sent a text to his best friends Vic and Gar, asking them to come to his house as soon as possible. They knew what day this was and he hoped they would take it seriously. Despite not seeing her for a peaceful 3 years, he was fairly sure that she was the same annoying, ugly, boring person as she'd always been.

Richard was surprised, and touched, that his friends made it to his house in record time (especially Garfield, who rarely was up before noon). Rachel had yet to arrive, but he was glad that he wouldn't have to face the menace alone. He felt like his friends had his bac-

"Dude, I can't wait til she gets here! She's so hot!" exclaimed Gar. _No wonder he got his ass over here in record time _thought Richard.

Scratch that last thought. He was glad that he had Vic to support him. While they waited for Rachel, Richard and his friends scrambled up to his gameroom to squeeze in a few rounds of zombie killing. Vic was very adept at this game, and often won when Richard wasn't paying attention. But today, he wouldn't lose focus. He intended not only to beat Vic, but also to beat Vic's high score.

However, in the midst of intense battle, Gar blurted out, "I think you kind of like her, admit it." After that, all focus was shattered. He responded nonchalantly with, "I'd like her better if she'd lose at cards." But his mind was a whirlwind. She was somewhat pretty, and she was adept at martial arts and at some videogames. He was sure that if she had been anyone else they'd be good friends, maybe even boyfriend and girlfriend. So why did he still hate her? He couldn't really remember the reason they'd gotten off on the wrong foot, and yet they still had it out for each other (apparently she was a stubborn as he was despite Bruce's claims that Richard was the most stubborn, unwavering person ever). He frowned, not even sure why he cared enough to dwell on it and let Vic win. Again.

Just as they were about to begin another round, Alfred entered the room. "Your guests have arrived, Master Richard."

Richard sighed. But instead of heading for the front door to greet his guests, he began another round of shooting zombies. Well, he tried to. But his friends, mainly Gar, wouldn't let him sit and keep Rachel waiting. They practically had to drag him down the stairs. By the time he was at the foot of the stairs, he could hear voices from the living room. He sighed, assuming that Bruce had let them in already. He quickly entered the massive living room to see Arella talking to her daughter sternly near the stone fireplace. He figured it had something to do with her not wanting to be there. _At least we agree on something. _Arella looked up and made eye-contact with Richard. She then hissed, "Be nice," at Rachel before swiftly exiting the room.

Rachel groaned and turned around. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. She was gorgeous. Her waves of onyx hair cascaded halfway down her back and her deep plum dress brought out her amethyst eyes and contrasted nicely with her pale skin. He smiled at her, maybe this summer _wouldn't _be so bad.

* * *

When she first laid eyes on him, she didn't expect to find him so handsome. Sure, it had been three years, but the changes were noticeable. He was much taller with broader shoulders and a more muscular build. His charcoal black hair was no longer spiked, but hung like curtains over his frost eyes, which, dare she say it, looked _sexy_. Not that she'd ever tell him that. Maybe this summer _wouldn't _be so bad.

She wasn't expecting him to smile at her, but when he did, she felt like her knees would buckle from the pressure. She cursed herself for wearing a dress that exposed her knees _and _for wearing black tights underneath the dress, which only served to draw more attention to her unstable legs she was sure. She hesitantly smiled back.

"Great to see you," he said, his soft voice only reflecting sincerity.

"A pleasure to be here," she responded. And she was surprised to find that she meant it too.

"Um, well, your room is the same one it's always been. I'm fairly sure that Alfred has your luggage up there by now if you want to start unpacking," he informed her.

Rachel gave a small, ghost smile because it sounded to her like he was nervous.

"Right, I guess I'll do that then. Thank-you," she replied before escorting herself to her temporary bedroom.

Before beginning to unpack, she called Jessica and left a message (she really wasn't expecting different at 9:30 in the morning) which said:

_Call me when you get the chance. I have to talk to you...this _almost _qualifies as an emergency._

Rachel then began to unpack and await her friend's phone call.

* * *

**Okay, there's chapter one! Let me know what you think of it! :)**

**Please review if you have the chance, I'd really appreciate it! **

**~RukiaRae**


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